I never kept my boys in a pen or gated or crated when I was home with them. Well at night until they were big enough they slept in a crate, but after they were 6 months old they slept with me. Your baby is going to want to be WITH you when you are home, not in an exercise pen. In my opinion (and some may disagree) the pen is great for when you are at work, helps contain them and their messes, but when you are home, you should let them out and socialize with you and any company you have so they are friendly with people and acclimate to their environment. Crate only at bedtime.
Oh and I would put a bed in their pen, not a crate. I think the more they are exposed to (not being able to hide in a crate) the more acclimated they get to people, noises, excitement, etc... I used to play a radio during the day when I was at work so they'd have something to listen to, also to drown out some of the outside noises that they would bark at. I think it helped with anxiety to have background noise
__________________ “Petting, scratching, and cuddling a dog could be as soothing to the mind and heart as deep meditation and almost as good for the soul as prayer.” ― Dean Koontz |